practice in tackling housing exclusion

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ExchangeBEST PRACTICE IN TACKLING HOUSING EXCLUSIONAND POVERTYTowards 2010: European year orcombating poverty and social exclusion

Special EditionAutumn 2009

English



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CONTENTSPage

Introduction 3

Housing Exclusion Thematic BriefngOctober 2009 6

Example 1: RIB La Chanca, Almería, Spain 11

Example 2: The Older Person’s Advice Project (OPAP), Scotland 13

Example 3: Creating a residence and community centre or elderly

immigrants in Agen, France 15

Example 4: Rent deposit guarantee unds to help vulnerable

households acing housing exclusion, England 17

Other Mainstream Approaches to Exclusionby our Members 22

Northern Ireland Housing Executive 22

Aedes, the Netherlands 23

Mulranny Housing Association, Ireland 26

Acer, Forli Cesena and Bologna, Italy 28

Acer, Reggio Emilia, Italy 30



Introduction

New Parliament, new Commissionbut same serious challenge: povertyand social exclusion in the EuropeanUnion.

Will the newly elected EuropeanParliament and newly designatedEuropean Commission give a realimpulse to the reduction o povertyand social exclusion in Europe? Andwill the EU nd ways to support thework o regional and local actors,including social and cooperativehousing, in creating more socialinclusion?

Worrying context

At least, it should, as the commitmentmade in 000 by the Heads o Stateand Government in Lisbon to make

a decisive impact on poverty by 010has ailed to produce the expectedresults: today,16% o EU populationare still at risk o poverty (78 millionpeople), which means that there wasno signi cant decrease since 000,and there were even increases insome countries like Belgium, UnitedKingdom and Poland; the at-risk-o -poverty rate is even higher orwomen (17%), children (19%) andolder people (19%). This situation

might be worsened by the increasingunemployment rate in the EU MemberStates. The number o unemployed inOECD countries was expected to riseby about 8 million people between008 and 010 in the a termath o thenancial and economic crisis.

While we still lack European dataabout the impact o this crisis onthe impoverishment o social andcooperative housing’ residents, we canreasonably expect that the demandor a ordable housing will increasewith the socio-economic e ects o

the crisis. And we can expect that thisdemand will come rom people whoseincome will have dropped a ter loosingtheir jobs or a ter being orced intopart-time work. There ore, social andcooperative housing organisationswill have to cope not only with anincreasing demand but also in manycases with decreasing monetaryresources o their residents.

Little room for manoeuvre but crucial battles for social housing

What can the EU do against thisworrying context?

Generally speaking, it is crucial thatthe EU through its various institutions(especially the European Parliamentand the European Commission)

recognise the variety o conceptionsand missions o social and cooperativehousing (in other words the not-or-pro t housing sector) in the EUbut as well take into account thespeci city and added value o thatsector or the public good. Why is itso important? Because i we want toachieve this basic requirement o oursociety (that each individual has theirrights to adequate accommodationmet), social and cooperative housinghave to be a power ul driver or it;by providing decent and a ordablehousing or all in economically, sociallyand environmentally sustainableneighbourhoods where all can reachtheir ull potential. And or this tohappen, we need to adapt our workto both the local context and to theevolving social demand. We need tobe supported by the EU not hamperedor constrained by a uni-dimensionalapproach. We also need to berecognized as a critical tool or dealingwith the multiple dimensions omarket ailure. That makes us di erent

Introduction

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David OrrPresident



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rom commercial services providers.That makes our societal added-value.

Be it in the broad EU politicalguidelines like the post- 010 LisbonStrategy, in non-binding initiativesaround the Social Agenda, or inlegislative proposals related to theinternal market rules, the EU couldindeed contribute a lot in promotingthe plurality o social servicesconception (including social housing)and rein orcing their role or socialcohesion. The now well knownconditions are:

• An appropriate legislativeramework that allow operatorson the ground (including socialhousing providers) to pursue theirwide range o activities in bene tsor the community without beingover-constrained by competition orpublic procurement rules that, orinstance, question their privilegedlink with the community or do nottake into account the overall andlong term e ects o those servicesand urther investments

• Access to EU unding or innovativeprojects, trans er o innovation,training o people that will allowto adapt success ul approaches to

a new context or example in theeld o nancial, employment oreducational services to residents

• Positive communication aroundthe added value o social servicesprovided by social and cooperativehousing organisations but alsoaround the necessity to keep onbuilding social and cooperativehousing to cover the need o anincreasing number o householdsdespite claims ocusing on urban

shrinkage.The objective o CECODHAS is towork with the new MEPs in the

various Committees o the EuropeanParliament but also with o cials othe European Commission to ensurethat our voice be heard and that thoseconditions emerge.

2010: a turning point

010 means the end o the currentand rom a social point o viewunsuccess ul Lisbon Strategy as wellas the discussions over its uture. Therst discussions over the nancialperspectives o the European Union– including Structural Funds - ( orthe period beyond 01 ) but also the“celebration” o the European Yearagainst Social Exclusion and Poverty.While the rst two will require intensenegotiations between Member Statesand the European Parliament (to

which we will also express our visionand our concerns), the EuropeanYear is a good opportunity toshow the wide diversity o types ointerventions, target groups, issuesaddressed by social and cooperativehousing providers aiming at tacklinghousing and social exclusion. EachMember State will implement (mainlythrough calls or proposals) a nationalprogramme whose broad objectiveis to raise awareness about the erce

reality o social exclusion and povertyas well as the various initiativesalready in place to take up thosechallenges. Communication campaignsand seminars in partnership withassociations are examples o whatsocial and cooperative housingproviders can organise with thenancial support o nationalauthorities.

Telling the true and positive story oour role in creating social inclusionby investing in economically, sociallyand environmentally sustainableneighbourhoods where each

Introduction



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individual can reach their ull potential,but also explaining the necessaryconditions or us to do it well andeven better are crucial, especiallyin those times o crisis. The newlyelected European Parliament and thenew European Commissioners willgive us opportunity to make our case.That means urther battles to win orCECODHAS in the year to come!

Introduction

This special edition o CECODHAS Exchange was prepared by the CECODHAS Observatory.Edited by Darinka Czischke, Alice Pittini, Claire Roumet, Joe Frey, Daphne Harshaw. ExecutiveDirector Paddy McIntyre. Design Sarena Clarke. CECODHAS, Housing Europe Centre, 18,Square Meeus, 10 0 Brussels, Belgium. Tel 00 10 69. European Commission’s Register oInterest Representatives No. 01 6 797- www.cecodhas.org



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Housing exclusion has beenincreasingly on the public debate inmost European countries over thelast decade. Worsening a ordability,rising homelessness in many partso Europe, the surge o shanty townsin some cities and the emergence onew orms o vulnerability are quotedas rising trends across Europe. Inaddition, the current economic crisishas put nancial and housing systemsin the spotlight as not responding tohousing needs in times o crisis.

This challenging context calls or abetter understanding o the complexand changing nature o housingexclusion. What does housingexclusion mean today? What are themain trends? What are the responseshousing actors are putting in place toaddress these challenges? These aresome o the issues this brie ng aimsto address in an e ort to contribute tobetter policy and practice.

I. What do we understand by ‘housing exclusion’?

The term ‘housing exclusion’ isused to re er to an individual’s or ahouseholds’ lack o housing, or totheir inadequate housing conditions.

It is worth noting that in the pasthomelessness and housing exclusionhave been described in rather staticterms, i.e. they have been linked to asituation o material poverty whichmight be improved through certainpolicy interventions. However, as weposit in this brie ng, the current realityo poverty and housing exclusion is armore complex than that. Today, peoplecan be poor and not su er housingexclusion, or they may not be poor and

yet not have a home. This paradox isexplained in terms o the new typeso vulnerabilities people are acing intoday’s society and economy, as we

will develop later on, and which haveimportant implications or housing.

There ore, in this brie ng we adopta broad and dynamic de nition ohousing exclusion, covering di erentdimensions o the problem as wellas the processes and circumstancesdetermining the ability o an individualor household to access and remainin adequate housing. Indeed, thesecircumstances might and do changeover a person’s li e course, with deepimplications or their wider socialinclusion.

Housing exclusion and new orms ovulnerability

Over the last decades, a discussionabout the need o a more ‘dynamic’

approach to poverty and relatedconcepts such as social exclusionhas given rise to the idea o‘a newvulnerability’ . This idea re ers toindividuals or households whoare at risk o poverty and exclusionas a result o a number o actorssuch as inadequate and/or variableincome, low education levels,geographical isolation ( or example,living in a remote area or in an areawithout transport connections),

unemployment or precariousemployment, disabilities, belongingto an ethnic minority, advanced ageand loneliness, lack o in ormation onrights and bene ts, etc.

In France1, or example, there is arecognition that traditional post-war social protection systems areunable to cope with new economicand societal circumstances that arecreating new kinds o vulnerability.Abrupt and requent nancial andamily breakdowns are a ecting moreand more people’s lives, making thesepeople come out and all back again

Housing Exclusion thematic briefng October 2009

Housing Exclusionthematic brie ngOctober 009

1 Les Cahiers No. 128.L’adaptation de la gestion desorganismes d’Hlm a l’accueildes ménages vulnerables.Besoins, principesd’intervention et modesorganisationels. L’UnionSociale pour l’Habitat.

Darinka CzischkeResearch Director



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next sections we will address at leastsome o these di erent dimensionsthrough data, trends and case studies.

II. Trends and issuesThe European Commission recognizes that a number o groupswithin our societies ace higher risk opoverty and social exclusion comparedto the general population. Thesevulnerable and marginalised groupsinclude but are not limited to: peoplewith disabilities, migrants and ethnicminorities (including Roma), homelesspeople, ex-prisoners, drug addicts,people with alcohol problems, isolatedolder people and children. Theproblems experienced by these groupstranslate into homelessness andhousing exclusion, unemployment,low education, and subsequently, their

urther exclusion rom society.To take one example amongst thesegroups, the increasing numberso both single and lone parenthouseholds are particularly a ectedby this new vulnerability: data romFrance, or example, shows that a tersocial trans ers 7% o lone parenthouseholds live in poverty comparedto 1 % o couples with children. Underthese ragile conditions, any small

incident in the li e o these householdsis likely to trigger a all (back) intohousing exclusion. Additionally,in most European countries theproportion o rail elderly people is astincreasing, demanding more personalservices and domiciliary care in orderto keep living in their homes or aslong as possible.

Furthermore, it is worth noting thathigher levels o housing exclusion have

proved to lead to increasing housingsegregation. Vulnerable people o tenhave no other option than to live inareas where people living in poverty

are already over-represented. Suchspatial concentrations o poverty o tenlead to ghettos and unsustainableneighbourhoods.

According to FEANTSAandCECODHASthe number o peoplesu ering rom housing exclusion isgrowing rapidly throughout Europe,especially in (large) urban areas.House prices have been increasing inmost parts o Europe, most notablyin prosperous areas where jobs areavailable. This creates a problem oa ordability or people unable tond housing within their means nearemployment sources. Even with theslump in house price infation inmany parts o Europe, brought aboutby the current economic crisis, thecredit crunch and lack o liquidity hasresulted in a ordability problemsin the home-ownership market. Inaddition, an increasing proportiono vulnerable people in rentalaccommodation spend an increasingshare o their income on housing andhousing related costs.

Let’s have a look at some Europeandata on di erent dimensions ohousing exclusion. Chart 1 showsthree clearly distinguishable groups

o countries in terms o housinga ordability. Firstly, countries with anabove EU average share o housingexpenditures on total expenditures,namely Denmark, Sweden, Belgium,Italy, Finland, Slovak Republic, Latvia,Germany, France, Czech Republic,Estonia and the Netherlands. Secondly,there is another group between 1 %and the EU average, ranging romLuxembourg to Greece. Lastly, at thevery bottom we see countries where

housing doesn’t seem to be veryexpensive, namely Malta, Portugal,Cyprus and Lithuania.


3 http://ec.europa.eu/ employment_social/spsi/ vulnerable_groups_en.htm

4 Social housing challenged by increasing housing exclusion: governments need to urgently improve the context in whichhousing providers operate.FEANTSA Policy Statement.September 2007.

5 Housing Europe 2007:Review o Social, Co-operativeand Public Housing inthe 27 EU Member States.CECODHAS European SocialHousing Observatory.October 2007.



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Interestingly, i we look at the evolutiono this indicator between 199 and00 (Chart ), we see a sharp increasein the share o housing expenditureson total expenditures in new EUmember states. Most probably, thisjump can be explained by accessionto the European Union resulting in

increased housing costs. At the sametime, in the EU 1 , particularly Italy,Ireland and Spain are acing increasinghousing costs.

Another dimension o housingexclusion, as we have seen, is thephysical quality o housing. Again,


CHART 1: SHARE OF HOUSING EXPENDITURES ON TOTAL EXPENDITURES 2004

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

M a l t a

P o r t u g a l *

C y p r u s

L i t h u a n

i a *

G r e e c e

S p a i n

U n

i t e d K i n g d o m

S l o v e n

i a

H u n g a r y

A u s t r i a

P o

l a n d

I r e l a n d

L u x e m

b o u r g

E U

- 2 5

N e

t h e r l a n

d s

E s t o n

i a

C z e c h

R e p u

b l i c

F r a n c e

*

G e r m a n y

L a t v i a

S l o v a k

R e p u

b l i c

F i n l a n d

I t a l y

B e

l g i u m

S w e

d e n

D e n m a r k

Source: Housing Statistics in the EU 2005/2006

*France, Portugal, Lithuania

p e r c e n

t a g e

CHART 2: EVOLUTION OF THE SHARE OF HOUSING EXPENDITURES ONTOTAL EXPENDITURES (1995-2004)

35

3025

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

p e r c e n

t a g e

L i t h u a n

i a ( 1 9 9 5 - 2 0 0 0 )

G r e e c e

S w e d e n

L u x e m

b o u r g

P o r t u g a l ( 1 9 9

5 - 2 0 0 0 )

B e

l g i u m

F r a n c e

( 1 9 9 5 - 2 0 0 0 )

F i n l a n d

N e t h e r l a n

d s

H u n g a r y

U

n i t e d K i n g d o m

G e r m a n y

E U - 2 5

S l o v e n

i a

M a l t a ( 2 0 0 0

- 2 0 0 4 )

C y p r u s

E s t o n

i a

A u s t r i a

( 2 0 0 0

- 2 0 0 4 )

P o

l a n d

C z e c h

R e p u

b l i c

D e n m a r k

S p a i n

L a t v i a

I r e l a n d

I t a l y

S l o v a k

R e p u

b l i c

Source: Housing Statistics in the EU 2005/2006



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looking at European data6, we seea split picture. Chart depicts thepercentage o people having at leastone room per person and perceivingnone o the ollowing housing de cits:shortage o space, rot in windows,doors and foors, damps and leaks,lack o indoor fushing toilet andinadequate unds to keep the houseadequately warm, what is also called‘ uel poverty’, i.e. not having the moneyto pay or heating. What we see is thatthe new EU member states tend toare substantially worse in relationto general housing conditions. Thus,there is again a divide between old andnew member states in this regard.

Countries which are clearly verywell o in terms o physical qualityo housing are: Germany, Sweden,

Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium.On the other side o the spectrumwe have Bulgaria, Lithuania, andRomania, which per orm quite badly.

Interestingly, analysis by Euro oundcorrelated this indicator on housingconditions with national GDP, resultingin a strong correlation between goodhousing conditions and high GDP.Put simply, richer countries havebetter housing. A second correlationlooking at the distribution o un-satis actory housing conditions acrossincome quartiles shows that WesternEuropean countries are generally morehomogeneous in terms o housingconditions compared to the rest oEurope, i.e. there is less variationacross income groups in the ormercountries. Interestingly enough, thelowest income categories in Austria,

Denmark and Sweden are much bettero in terms o their housing conditionsthan the highest income categories in

countries like Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Bulgaria andRomania.


CHART 3: PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE HAVING AT LEAST ONE ROOM PER PERSONAND PERCEIVING NONE OF THE HOUSING DEFICITS

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

G e r m a n y

S w e

d e n

A u s t r i a

N e

t h e r l a n

d s

B e

l g i u m

D e n m a r k

I r e l a n d

U n

i t e d K i n g d o m

F r a n c e

F i n l a n d

L u x e m

b o u r g

I t a l y

S p a i n

C z e c h

R e p u

b l i c

C y p r u s

S l o v e n i a

G r e e c e

M a l t a

H u n g a r y

S l o v a k i a

P o r t u g a l

L a t v i a

E s t o n i a

P o

l a n d

B u

l g a r i a

L i t h u a n i a

R o m a n i a

Source: European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (2006)

6 European Foundation or theImprovement o Living andWorking Conditions (2006)First European Quality o Li eSurvey: Social dimensions o housing. Dublin.



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III. Responses from social housing providers

In response to the abovementionedtrends, we can distinguish betweendi erent types o situations socialhousing providers are tacklingin the eld o housing exclusion.Amongst them, or example, is theworsening housing situation o theirtenants/residents due to their relativeimpoverishment7, or due to the risingproportion o vulnerable peoplein social housing Europe-wide. Inaddition, providers are increasinglygiving assistance to households thatare not their tenants/residents but thatexperience housing exclusion in thecommunity.

The reasons or doing the latter haveto do with the wider remit o mostsocial housing providers, which canbe linked either to a sense o socialresponsibility stretching beyond theirown customers, or to a more pragmaticidea o achieving balanced andsustainable communities which willbene t the smooth unctioning o theneighbourhoods where they operate.In both cases, evidence shows thatsocial housing providers are indeedhelping to tackle housing exclusion

through a number o very diverseinitiatives, as we will see in the nextsection.

One o the elds linked to the combatagainst housing exclusion is thenancial inclusion o their tenants. InEngland, around 70% o nanciallyexcluded people live in social housing.As NHF points out8, this situation andthe act that housing associations areo ten the best resourced agencies in

deprived neighbourhoods, meansthe sector is well-placed to tackle thisproblem. Helping tenants achievenancial inclusion involves tackling the

various actors that result in exclusion.For example, a tenant may be in debtthrough not claiming their ull bene tentitlement, be paying punitive rateso interest to a doorstep lender, lackinsurance cover to meet unexpectedcosts, and be unable to budgete ectively. Amongst the variety oservices housing associations providein this eld are: advising tenants onhow to maximize their incomes e.g.through pre-tenancy bene t checks;one-to-one budgeting and debtadvice to improve residents’ capacityto mange their money and avoid rentarrears; etc. In addition, partnershipsbetween housing associations,government and other third sectororganisations are increasinglycommon, where housing associationscontribute with money, sta time ando ce space, or example.

IV. Examples from CECODHASmembership

The ollowing are just our examples,out o many more we have reviewed,depicting some o the responses putin place by social housing providersacross Europe to tackle the wide rangeo situations o housing exclusion intheir local communities. It is worth

noting that we have selected theseexamples rom a wider group onthe basis o their diversity in termso geographical location, culturalbackground, target groups and issuesaddressed.

Example 1:RIB La Chanca9, Almería, Spain

a) Objective and benefciariesThe project seeks the social, economicand physical rehabilitation o thehistoric quarter o ‘La Chanca’,characterized by high poverty levels


7 Heino, J., Czischke, D. andM. Nikolova (2007) Managing social rental housing in theEuropean Union: Experiencesand Innovative Approaches.CECODHAS European SocialHousing Observatory andVVO-PLC. Helsinki.

8 Winning with Money:Housing associations’ contribution to nancialinclusion. National Housing Federation. Available on:http://www.housing.org.uk/ Uploads/File/our%20views/W inning%20with%20Money% 20FINAL.pd or www.housing.org.uj/ nancialinclusion

9 Revitalización urbana.Buenas Prácticas. Asociaciónde Promotores Públicosde Vivienda y Suelo. Available on: http://www.promotorespublicos.org/public/ cheros/ publicaciones/ ad35d2c4 9 847ab1ca8bccda79aa219.pd



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and by physical (urban) and socio-economic problems, including thepoor housing conditions. The scaleand diversity o interventions is o suchmagnitude that it bene ts the wholelocal population and in particularthose residents living in inadequatehousing.

b) Brie descriptionThe neighbourhood o La Chancadates back to the tenth century andwas plunged into the abandonmentand neglect at the end o thenineteenth century. It had beenenduring a situation o “unbearablemisery” and major social needs ora long time. The project seeks toprovide access to decent housing,health, education, employment andoccupational training and social rightsor the local residents. It is structuredin our lines o action:1. Acquisition o land or housing

construction.. Construction o housing or the

resident population.. Urban and housing rehabilitation

programs.. Development o social programs inthe housing sector.

The project has been gaining sitesto complement developments thatprovide smaller housing schemes toaccommodate residents rom the mostderelict areas. It covers developmentsin the six most derelict areas within themunicipality with a total o 11 rentaldwellings or low income amilies.

A central social element o therehabilitation process is the“Programa de Pedagogía del Habitat”,a programme aimed at promotingresidents’ participation in the actionsa ecting their living environmentand generating a sense o collectiveownership o the latter. Thisprogramme includes three types osocial interventions:i) Social management, which involves

monitoring the relocation oamilies evicted in the areas ointervention. The main task hasbeen to agree not only on thehousing scheme to which theresidents return, but to agree onthe dwelling itsel . To this end, it hasbeen essential that the team had

knowledge o each household’sneeds so that all or virtually allexpressed their approval with theirnew home.




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ii) Creation o ‘communities oneighbours’, to disseminate rightsand duties o the new residentsamongst these, and to articulatecommunity organisation.

iii) Educational project “Cuido mi casa,cuido mi barrio” (Taking care omy home and neighbourhood),a learning tool to engage localresidents with the upkeep o theirhomes and local environments.

The project has been carried out by amulti-actor partnership comprising:the municipality o Almería; monitoringcommittees made o residents’associations; local governmentagencies; and management agenciessuch as the Cadastre o ce andnotaries.

c) Outcomes Between 00 and 008 the ‘EmpresaPública de Suelo de Andalucía –EPSA(public land company o Andalucía) haslaunched the construction and projectmanagement o 1 new housing orlocal residents, mostly or rent.In addition, the ‘O cina deRehabilitación de La Chanca’ (Bureauo Rehabilitation o La Chanca) hasundertaken the ollowing actions:Until 00 it has managed the

construction o 7 homes or rent.Until 00 , 16 amilies have bene tedrom the nancial assistance grantedby the Junta de Andalucía through thevarious rehabilitation programmes orhomes and buildings. Between 00and 008, 0 amilies have bene tedrom this aid. It is expected that incoming years 1 00 more amilies willbene t rom this aid.As a result o urban renewal andhousing programs, some 1 0 amilies

have bene ted o relocation processes;between 00 and 008 160 requestsor relocation have been managedthrough EPSA and it is expected that

over the coming years approximately60 more amilies will bene t rom thisprogramme.

Last but not least, it is worth noting thatin 000, the intervention in La Chancawon international recognition by beingawarded the best rating o the UN,becoming part o the database o bestpractices or improving UN humansettlements.

Example 2:The Older Person’s Advice Project(OPAP), Scotland

a) Objective and benefciariesThe Older Person’s Advice Project(OPAP) was ounded in 00 withthe primary aim o maximising thehousehold incomes o social housing

tenants aged 60 and over. Its main aimis to tackle bene t under-claimingwithin the target group.

b) Brie descriptionRecent statistics rom the Departmentor Work and Pensions show thatnearly a third o over 60s in the UKare living in poverty, yet around£1 0 million o bene t income goesunclaimed by people in this age groupevery year. By providing additional

wel are rights advice and signpostingservices, OPAP is also helping tocombat the isolation and exclusionthat many people - particularlythose who live alone - experience asthey get older. Having run a generalneeds wel are rights service or anumber o years, the Advice Teamknew there were many issues thatcan directly a ect an older person’sability or willingness to claim bene ts,including lack o knowledge aboutbene ts to which they are entitledand/or a reluctance to share ‘private’in ormation. Using this knowledge,Link ‘tailor-made’ the OPAP service or




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the over 60s which, by helping themaccess bene ts and advice, combatsthe ar-reaching impact o bene tunder-claiming on their health andwell-being. Link promotes OPAP toolder tenants and, respecting theirwish or privacy, OPAP advisors visitthem in their own homes. This hashelped to remove many barriers andmaximise uptake o bene ts.

c) Outcomes

To date, OPAP’s team has madenearly 1 0 home visits and identi edover £ million o additional bene tincome or its clients. OPAP hasoperated in three phases. Phase 1received £180,000 unding rom theDepartment or Work and Pensions’Partnership Fund rom March 00 toDecember 006 and was delivered asa partnership between Link and CastleRock Housing Association. Duringthis period OPAP raised more than£800,000 o bene t income or itsclients. Following the success o Phase1, OPAP was extended into Edinburgh,

Fi e and the Lothians, with £9 ,000rom Communities Scotland,Dunedin Canmore and Link HousingAssociations (HAs) and Link Group. Itwas delivered to tenants o both HAsrom January 007 to March 008,helping to ensure more than 00 olderpeople in the three areas receivedall o their bene t entitlement andgenerating an additional £ 00,000 obene t income. Phase was launchedin August 008 with £ 1 ,000 romthe Scottish Government - WiderRole Grant, Falkirk - Fairer ScotlandFunding, Link, Paragon HA, AbronhillHA, Wishaw and District HA, AlmondHA and WESLO Housing Management.OPAP is now delivering services to allo the housing partners and clientsliving in Falkirk Council priority areas.During 008/09 the team dealt withmore than 1 00 clients, sourcingbene t income o £ 6 ,000 anddealing with £ 0,000 o debt.




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Example 3: Creating a residenceand community centre or elderlyimmigrants in Agen, France

a) Objective and target groupThis project is led by CILIOPÉE Habitatand aims to provide a housing solutionto vulnerable elderly people oimmigrant background experiencingsocial isolation, suiting their resourcesand li estyles.

b) Brie descriptionIn 00 , as part o a slum clearanceinitiative (RHI), the city o Agen(Aquitaine region) asked CILIOPÉEHabitat, SA HLM Group CILIOPÉE todevelop two areas located in the hearto town. Some buildings includedin the scope o the process housedpeople o immigrant backgroundexperiencing social isolation. They hadnever had access to social housing.Today in retirement, the majority arenationals rom the Maghreb countries,established in France or many years.However, they per orm regular trips

to their countries o origin where theyhave relatives. They have deprivedthemselves o all com ort (heating,ood ...) to send money to their amiliesabroad. The project’s aim is to providea suitable housing solution or theseresidents.

The City gave its agreement or theproject in 00 and the dra ting o asocial project was entrusted to theuture manager o the residence socialCILIOPÉE Hermitage Association.The project received the support othe Departmental Business Healthand Social and the DepartmentalDirectorate o Equipment andAgriculture (services o the State) oLot-et-Garonne, which traditionally co-nance these operations. Several lineso action structure the project:

- Buildings will be designed accordingto energy e ciency criteria in orderto provide a cost neutral housing touture occupants. The ee should becovered by housing assistance paid




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by the State subject to the residents’resources,

- Implementation o a social projectaround the themes o health andadministrative support.

Following Group CILIOPÉE’s CSR(corporate social responsibility)approach, many other partners havejoined the project, including theACSE (National Agency or SocialCohesion and Equal Opportunities,which depends on the Department oImmigration, Integration o nationalidentity), the Community o Agenagglomeration (gathering 7 localauthorities), the MSA (MutualitéSociale Agricole, pension und oragricultural pro essionals).

The ‘Saint Fiary’ residence, todayhousing 6 such bene ciaries, wascommissioned in December 007. Therooms are urnished and the total costincluding rent and charges amountsto € 9 per month. Excluding housingallowances, the net amount oscillatesbetween 0 and 0 € per month. Theresidence is equipped with a device oremergency calls / hours.

In addition, in April 008, a smallcommunity centre was created close

to the ‘Saint Fiary’ residence, whichincludes the presence o a pro essionalacilitator o Arabic mother tongue. Inconnection with the nancing o thispost, it was agreed that the acilitatorwelcome both residents o the projectand all other elderly and immigrant(e.g. rom the suburbs) in order toprovide them with administrativesupport. O ten isolated, with littlecontact with public administrationor its representatives, some migrants

need a process o “trust building”be ore con ding in a stranger.The centre is arranged in two parts:

- A convivial space where thepublic may, over a tea or a co ee,exchange or re-build links with itscommunity o origin. .

- A closed o ce to meet theacilitator in order to ensurecon dentiality.

c) OutcomesThe simultaneous opening o the SaintFiary residence and the communitycentre dedicated to older migrants hasmeant:- Bringing together a broad

partnership around a little-known public to elected o cials,institutions and associations. Thistarget group usually pre ers toresort to their community networksinstead o seeking the supporto institutions or associations.However, their living conditionsare o ten precarious and theyreceive very small pensions (orthe “minimum pension”, about00 € per month), which requirethem to live in buildings with verylimited com ort, even in unhealthyconditions, and sometimes givingup seeking medical treatment,

- Providing a home andadministrative support to a publico ten illiterate and who speak little

French. Until the opening o thisplace, the only resource or thispublic was the help o “scribes” othe Arabic language which chargeor their services,

- Allowing other elderly, isolated,to denounce their poor housingconditions. The Group CILIOPÉEhas there ore mobilized to buildanother residence to accommodate10 people, located in downtownAgen. It is expected to open its

doors in the all o 010.




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Example 4: Rent deposit guaranteeunds to help vulnerable householdsacing housing exclusion, England

a) Objective and target groupThis example eatures two cases osocial landlords setting up schemesto provide rent deposit guaranteeunds to households in a situation

o vulnerability that cannot accesssocial housing but need to ndaccommodation urgently. While bothcases deal with the same issue, it isworth noting that they target di erentgroups acing di erent types ovulnerability.

The rst case corresponds to aninitiative by Centrepoint, a charityand RSL (registered social landlord)working with some o society’s most

marginalised and excluded homelessyoung people. In 00 , Centrepointlaunched the North East Rent DepositGuarantee Scheme (RDGS), whichhelps young people pay a depositand other up ront costs to enablethem to move into private rentedaccommodation.

The second case is a Bond GuaranteeScheme launched in May 008 byBrad ord-based housing associationIncommunities to help local amilies inimmediate need o a rented home byguaranteeing the cost o a property bondor rent deposit with the private landlord.

b) Brie description

North East Rent Deposit GuaranteeScheme (RDGS), CentrepointAlthough o cial gures showhomelessness among young peopleappears to be alling, it is estimatedthat around 7 ,000 remain at risk andin contact with homelessness servicesacross the UK.

The scheme helps young peopleto nd suitable accommodation,having rst approached a number olandlords. As the scheme works withlandlords, this helps to overcomeany resistance to “bene ts” tenants;ensures that properties are checkedover; and can even lead to a reduceddeposit or rent. Alternatively someprojects will ask the young personto nd a property, and then they willtalk to the landlord on his/her behal .The deposit and any rent in advancecan be paid or guaranteed by theRDGS rom its own unds up to amaximum level. The young personwill be helped to apply or housingbene t and any other suitable bene ts.When a young person applies to thescheme, needs and risk assessmentsare carried out, housing needs arediscussed, and Centrepoint workswith the young person to carry outa nancial assessment. This processhelps to educate the young personabout the private rented sectorincluding the need or deposits andup ront costs. Central to the schemeis an agreement that the young personsaves towards their own deposit or thelonger term, ostering responsibilityand independence. The originaldeposit made is then returned to

the scheme. To join the scheme, theyoung person must be aged 16 to. They must also be homeless or

threatened with homelessness, onlow income or receiving bene ts, havelittle or no savings, capable o livingindependently and in control o theirnances with little or no rent arrears.The Northern Rock Foundation andHBOS have been among the scheme’sunders.

Bond Guarantee Scheme,IncommunitiesO ten vulnerable people need toaccess rented accommodation




page • 18

urgently, due to changes in theircircumstances such as homerepossession or a relationshipbreakdown. In this situation the privaterented sector may be the only realistichousing option i suitable socialhousing is not available. However, thecost o a property bond or rent depositmay be a constraint. The schemeprovides a con dential housing adviceservice to address the needs o eachapplicant. Incommunities sta alsonegotiate directly with local landlordsand, in many cases, work closely withthe relevant bene ts service to ensurethe tenancy is nancially sustainable.

c) OutcomesBoth examples have helped trans ormvulnerable people’s li e chances.In the case o Centrepoint’s scheme,since the start o the scheme in 00 ,111 tenancies have been acilitated. Atpresent, there are 7 “active” bonds

where the client is currently repaying.6 additional bonds have been repaidin ull by the client (some o whomhave since moved on again, others are

still in the tenancy). 8 bonds “ ailed”and required Centrepoint to pay outall or part o the bond guarantee to thelandlord. Centrepoint receives a largenumber o re errals, largely rom thelocal authorities they work with whosend them through their homelessnesstrack. Typically Centrepoint endsup housing about 10% o the totalre errals or a given year.

In the case o Incommunities, sincethe Bond Scheme was established,it has supported 6 private sectortenancies and enabled local amiliesto make an important step onto thehousing ladder. Incommunities aimsto continue this success ul scheme.Over the next three years the goal is tosupport up to 1 0 additional amilies

who ace nancial barriers to accessing

suitable good quality local rentedaccommodation. Incommunities isnow also exploring the potential to set-up other nancial inclusion services.The initial cost o setting up the BondGuarantee scheme was unded byIncommunities and Brad ord CityCouncil. Over the next three yearsurther unding will come romIncommunities.




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CASE STUDIES ON SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS ADDRESSING HOUSING EXCLUSION: Summary table

Name, location Objective Target group Main actionpoints/tools

Partnership Outcomes/evaluation

RIB La Chanca,EMVSAlmería, Spain

Providingaccess to decenthousing, health,education,employment andoccupationaltraining andsocial rightsor residents ohistoric quartercharacterized byhigh poverty andpoor housingconditions.

All localresidents,in particularthose in poorhousingconditions.

- Acquisition oland or housingconstruction.- Constructiono housing orthe residentpopulation.- Urban andhousingrehabilitationprograms.- Developmento socialprograms in thehousing sector.

Multi-actorpartnershipcomprising:Municipalityo Almería;monitoringcommitteeso residents’associations;localgovernmentagencies;managementagencies(Cadastreo ce,notaries).

Since 00 ,1 8 new rentaldwellings built,189 underwayand 60 more

planned;16 amiliesbene tedrom nancialassistance;1 0 amiliesbene ted romre-housingprogramme.000 UN bestpractice award.

The OlderPerson’s AdviceProject (OPAP),The Link GroupScotland

To tackle bene tunder-claimingwithin the targetgroup.

Maximisinghouseholdincomeso socialhousingtenants aged60 and over.

- Provisiono additionalwel are rightsadvice andsignpostingservices;- Addressingissues directlya ecting olderperson’s abilityor willingness toclaim bene ts.

Link AdviceTeam.

To date, nearly1 0 home visitsand identi edover £ milliono additionalbene t incomeor its clients.

Creating a

residence andcommunitycentre orelderlyimmigrantsCILIOPÉEHabitatAgen, France

Provide a

housing solutionsuiting theresources andli estyles o thetarget group.

Vulnerable

elderlypeople oimmigrantbackgroundexperiencingsocialisolation.

- Construction

o a ordable,energy e cientand urnishedresidencies.-Implementationo a communitycentre withpro essionalacilitator tosupport tenantson health andadministrativeissues.

Group

CILIOPÉE,ACSE (NationalAgencyor SocialCohesionand EqualOpportunities,Communityo Agenagglomeration,MSA (MutualitéSocialeAgricole,pension undor agriculturalpro essionals).

Simultaneous

opening oresidence andcommunitycentre providesa home andadministrativesupport to apublic o tenilliterate andwho speakslittle French.Denunciationo poor housingconditions oother isolatedelderly.



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CASE STUDIES ON SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS ADDRESSING HOUSING EXCLUSION: Summary table

Name, location Objective Target group Main actionpoints/tools

Partnership Outcomes/evaluation

Rent depositguaranteeunds:

Centrepoint,England

Helping youngpeople pay adeposit andother up rontcosts toenable themto move intoprivate rentedaccommodation.

Extremelyvulnerablehomelessyoungpeople.

- RDGS paysdeposit andany rent inadvance up to amaximum level.- Help to applyor housingbene t andother bene ts.Joint nancialassessment andeducation aboutthe private

rented sector.- Young personagrees to savetowards theirown deposit orthe longer term.

Centrepointand localauthorities.

Since 00 , 111tenancies havebeen acilitated.At present, 7“active” bondswhere clientis repaying. 6additional bondsrepaid in ull bythe client.

IncommunitiesEngland

Helpingtarget groupaccess rentedaccommodationby guaranteeing

cost o aproperty bondor rent depositwith a privatelandlord

Local amiliesin immediateneed o arented home.

- Con dentialhousing adviceto address theneeds o eachapplicant.

- Stanegotiatesdirectly withlocal landlordsand o tenworks closelywith relevantbene ts serviceto ensuretenancy isnanciallysustainable.

Since 008, 6private sectortenanciessupported. Overthe next three

years goal tosupport up to1 0 additionalamilies.



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IV. Conclusions

Housing exclusion is a dynamicprocess related to an increasingnumber o vulnerable people in thecontext o changing labour markets,social protection systems andsocietal developments. It is also amultidimensional concept, composedo social, physical, nancial, and legalaspects. This changing and complexnature requires new, more innovativeresponses at policy and practice level.

Amongst the main trends at Europeanand national level, we have highlightedworsening a ordability in many partso Europe (especially in cities withdynamic economies) cutting acrosstenure and income levels, as wellas a divide between richer Western

member states, who overall enjoybetter relative standards, and mostnew member states, where these arepoorer.

The case studies presented in thisbrie ng show a wide diversity otypes o interventions, target groups,issues addressed by social housingproviders aiming at tackling housingexclusion. However, all peopletargeted by these interventions have

one thing in common: their changingli e situations, the act that they canbecome vulnerable in di erent waysand or di erent reasons at any pointin time. That is when and wheresocial housing providers are steppingin, o ten in partnership with localauthorities, government agencies andother social actors. Furthermore, giventhe continuous nature o their mission,social housing organisations providea longer-term service that ensuresstability at times o high uncertainty.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:This brie ng was produced by DarinkaCzischke, Research Director o theCECODHAS European Social HousingObservatory. The author wishes tothank and acknowledge the helpo the ollowing people: Ana Núñez(AVS, Spain), Andy Young (ScottishFederation o Housing Associations,Scotland), Jane Smernicki (Link GroupLtd, Scotland), Emmanuelle Gauville(Ciliopée Habitat, France), CorineMeier (NHF, England) and ChristopherPhillips (Centrepoint, England).

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THECASE STUDIES VISIT:

AVShttp://www.promotorespublicos.org

Link Group, Scotlandhttp://www.linkhousing.co.uk

CILIOPÉE Habitat, SA HLM GroupCILIOPÉEhttp://www.ciliopee.com

Centrepointwww.centrepoint.org.uk

Incommunitieswww.incommunities.co.uk



page •

a) Working to end housing exclusionor the Traveller Community inNorthern Ireland at Group HousingSchemes in Castledawson andOmagh

b) Objective and benefciariesThe Group Housing project led by theNorthern Ireland Housing Executivein partnership with Fold HousingAssociation aims to provide newly builtmodern homes or a group o Travellercommunity amilies in Castledawson,Co Londonderry, who had lived in thearea or 17 years. The work was doneto deal with multiple disadvantages

among Travellers where substandardtemporary living conditions lead topoor health, educational attainmentand negative relationships with thesettled community.

c) Brie descriptionThe Maguire group o amilies hadlived in caravans on this site or 17years and had connections with thearea going back 0 years. The HousingExecutive’s experience was that the

Traveller community pre er livingtogether in a group rather than beingplaced individually among the settledcommunity. The project was planned

in detailed consultation with theTraveller amilies, particularly in termso content and design. A group housingscheme has additional acilities andamenities and is speci cally designedto accommodate extended amilieso the Traveller community on apermanent basis. Five large detachedhomes with central heating and anopen replace were built or theamilies and their children, togetherwith another scheme o 8 largehouses or the Traveller community0 miles away in Omagh, Co Tyrone.It was unded through the HousingExecutive’s budget by the Government

Department or Social Development.d ) BenefciariesThe 1 Traveller community amilieswho had previously lived on caravansites in Castledawson and Omaghare now living in modern homes.Their children now have bettereducation and health opportunitiesand employment opportunities. As MrsMaguire, the head o the amily said,“It is a dream come true. Everyone

is over the moon. This is greatdevelopment. It’s great or us and thechildren. Their uture looks good here.The neighbours have been bringing

Other Mainstream approaches to Social Exclusion by our members

Other Mainstream approaches toSocial Exclusion by our members

Preparing a housing solution or households who are NOT your tenants/residents but who experience housing exclusion in the community

Northern Ireland Housing Executive



page •

fowers and cards and phoning withcongratulations.”

e) Outcomes• New legislation was sought by

government to allow the NorthernIreland Housing Executive toundertake a strategic role in thehousing o the Irish Travellercommunity and the HousingExecutive is continuing towork closely with the Travellercommunity to address their housingneeds across Northern Ireland.The issues o compatible amiliesand the relevance o the extendedamily characteristic are o particularimportance with respect to theschemes.

• The needs o Travellers wereidenti ed by government as oneo the main priority areas to beconsidered under its TargetingSocial Need policy and thesubsequent Promoting SocialInclusion Initiative to makerecommendations as to how poorliving conditions, poor healthand social attainment, long termunemployment and relationshipswith the settled community can beaddressed. Their report endorsed

the approach o the NorthernIreland Housing Executive indeveloping group housing schemes.

Addressing the worsening housingsituation o tenants/residents

‘De Sluis’, acility in Tilburg,Netherlands, or young ex-prisoners

ObjectiveDe Sluis (The Sluice) is a acility inTilburg where young people aged

1 to receive intensive individualguidance towards rehabilitationollowing a period o detention.Counselling and supervision areprovided hours a day. The timeneeded in the acility is estimated at ayear to a year-and-a-hal , during whichthe young residents are expected toactively search or their next stagehousing.

For this acility, a building had to

be ound where 1 to 1 bed/sittingrooms (o about 0 m² each) couldbe available. No communal sittingrooms were required but space orcommunal kitchen(s) and bathroom(s)was. A separate space was needed orsta , including a place or night sta tosleep and wash and a meeting room.Arrangements or -hour supervisionin the complex should be simple toachieve.

This -hour supervision andcounselling consists o two counsellorsduring the day and evening and anovernight supervisor. A methodo achieving this was developedspeci cally or De Sluis:

There are our phases in this guidance/supervision. During the rst twophases, the young people have verylittle reedom but are allowed to workor an income. They must be insideDe Sluis at night. The supervisors arealso mentors or individual youngstersand each youngster has his or her




page •

own counselling plan. There is a teamleader who is responsible or theday-to-day running o De Sluis. Thisteam, in turn, is guided by an expertin behavioural studies who can alsobe consulted about individual cases.There is also close cooperation withthe social workers who have legalsupervision over the young people

– or instance, the (youth) probationo cers and BJZ (Youth Bureau) oTilburg.

Budget estimate for De SluisFor the years o 006, 007 and008, the city o Tilburg had setaside € 00,000 or De Sluis. Forthe project’s duration, incidental




page •

costs were included, such ascommunications (providingin ormation to the residents andolders), project leader, etc.These were to be paid or by the Cityo Tilburg. In addition, the city paidmoving expenses or the residents.

The rebuilding expenses, carried outunder the authority o WonenBreburghousing association, are covered inthe monthly rental price. The RIBW(Regional Institute or Protected Living)

is prepared to enter a rental agreementor a period o 10 years. Following thatperiod, the housing can be simplyreturned to standard rentable unitswithout extra costs.

The project began in early 008in a single block o fats with oneentrance hall. One ‘regular’ tenantre used to leave, so he remainedliving in-between the youngsters andsupervisors in the remodeled building.

Shortly therea ter, this last tenantdid move out so that the entire blockcould be used or the new, youngresidents. The project is going well

and seems to cause no problems orthe neighbourhood. A number o theyoung residents have since moved onto ‘regular’ housing.

Is WonenBreburg still enthusiastic? This project is a very good exampleo cooperation between localgovernment, social services, police/judiciary and the housing association.The result is that young people canhave a new chance in society and socialexclusion is prevented.

Contact: Carin Turi, WonenBreburg,Tilburg, [email protected]

WonenBreburg is a social housingorganisation with around 0,000dwellings in Dutch cities Tilburg andBreda.




page • 6

CECODHAS ‘Tackling housingexclusion and resident’simpoverishment.

This example will address aninnovative situation which tackleshousing exclusion o older Irishpeople who live abroad in poorhousing conditions (UK, EU, USA etc)and who have now want to move backto Ireland to good quality social rentedhousing, in the local communities romwhich they would have emigrated in a

previous recession in the 19 0’s andearly 1960’s. Many o these elderlypeople emigrated throughout theworld sent nancial support home totheir amilies which helped sustain theIrish economy at that time.

Name, location, yearThe name o the lead organisationis called ‘Sa e Home’ a non-pro torganisation based in Co. Mayo, in thewest o Ireland, which was establishedin 000.

Objective

To assist vulnerable elderly Irishemigrants living in poor housingconditions abroad who wish to returnand live in Ireland and will be providedwith the necessary support orintegration.

Brie description The key partcipant is MulrannyHousing Association, Co. Mayo.Whose chairman, Dr. Jerry Cowley (ageneral practitioner) in the late 1990’sdecided there was a need to establisha separate entity called ‘Sa e Home’ toassist elderly Irish wishing to returnhome to live.

A ter the success and publicity o theMulranny housing association projectsor older people in Mulranny. Dr.Cowley was approached by relativeso elderly Irish living abroad. It wasthen decided to establish a separatenon-pro t company called Sa eHome based in Mulranny. A terinitial undraising and lobbying tothe Irish Government and within the


Preparing a housing solution or households who are NOT your tenants/residents but who experience housing exclusion in the community

Mulranny Housing Association, Ireland



page • 7

social housing sector, the Sa e Homeprogramme received statutory undingrom the Department or Foreigna airs and the Department o theEnvironment (Irish Housing Ministry)and continues to do so. Also the termso the social housing schemes orhousing associations were amended toallow up to % (1/ ) o new voluntaryhousing projects or the elderly andsubsequent allocations to be set asideor approved elderly Irish returningemigrants.

BenefciariesThere have been up to 00 elderlyvulnerable households housed andsupported who were previously livingin poor quality rental accommodationabroad and who have now success ullyreturned to Ireland to live in localcommunities, with a signi cantnumber o those in accommodationo ered by housing associations.

OutcomesNot only has this partnership leadby Sa e Home provided good quality

housing accommodation, mostlywith housing associations throughoutIreland, returning emigrants receiveessential support on issues that relateto healthcare, pensions, tax, drivingand other social requirements andentitlements in Ireland. The mental andphysical health and well being o thesereturning emigrants has improved aswell as their general quality o li e. It hasovercome some o the isolation thatolder Irish emigrants elt living overseas,particularly in the UK.This scheme is a good example ostrong partnership between voluntaryand statutory sectors o what in thepast may have been an unseen needand was a good example o socialsolidarity in the previous ‘Celtic Tigerperiod’ to support older Irish who hadhelped to support the Irish economyin the 19 0’s. Housing associationsplayed a strong part in this programmeby o ering a signi cant numbero tenancies or the Sa e Homeprogramme. It is also a good exampleo trying to meet housing needs oolder vulnerable households over anumber o jurisdictions both in the EU(in particular the UK) and throughoutthe rest o the world.

Any queries please contact

Donal McManusIrish Council or Social Housing




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Implementing social mediation tocreate inclusion and solidarity

Public housing company memberso Federcasa are increasinglyexperimenting to nd ways to enhancesocial sustainability in their buildingsand neighbourhoods through socialmediation. This is a service aimed atreducing confict and ghting socialexclusion through better monitoringo the resident population and their

needs.

Social mediation activities havea strong impact on the li e oneighbourhoods, and they can takedi erent orms according to thedi erent local context. Below wepresent two examples rom the regionEmilia Romagna, in the city o Forlì andBologna.

ACER FORLÌ CESENAActors involved: Pilot model basedon the involvement and coordinationwith residents, the housing company, asocial cooperative o psychologists andmunicipal departments in charge ocare and assistance.

Aim:The project is aimed at enhancingsocial sustainability through integrationo immigrants, measures or theinclusion o disabled and elderly

people, and in general, protection othe most vulnerable.

Description: Two levels o activity,

interacting with each other:- ‘Portieri sociali’ (social porter):

residents living in the socialhousing buildings, chosen amongsel -organised tenants groups andassociations;

- ‘Custodi sociali’ (social concierge):pro essionals in the eld opsychological and wel are care.

The project aims at promoting mutualknowledge and understandingamongst residents in case o clashes,arguments, or mistrust. Throughincreased dialogue between peopleo di erent cultures, ethnic origins,social background; ostering solidarityand mutual help between neighbours.Furthermore, the project makes theproblems o the most vulnerableemerge and wants to respond toconcrete needs such as help withpapers and bureaucratic procedures,help with everyday tasks such asshopping, housework, care or elderlyand disabled, in ormation to tenantson their rights and opportunitiesprovided by the local network oservices and volunteering.

Results: The project started in 008,but in just a ew months some resultsalready show increased capacity oestablishing a dialogue with tenants,

particularly those in di cult situations,and more responsiveness to theirneeds.

Over time, the project will allow thecreation o a network o solidarityand mutual knowledge and respectwithin each building and withinneighbourhoods.

ACER BOLOGNAActors involved: A ‘UrbanRegeneration Society’ (Societa’Tras ormazione Urbana, STU) wascreated in 00 between ACER


Italy



page • 9

Bologna and the municipality oPianoro. The STU was enlarged in00 to include private partners.

Aim: The aim o this ambitious projectis to rehabilitate an area o the citycentre in the municipality o Pianoro(province o Bologna). This residentialarea was built right a ter the war torespond to the urgent housing needo displaced persons. It comprised1 residential buildings and publicareas, which since the 1980s showthe need o rehabilitation because othe bad quality o the buildings anddeterioration o the neighbourhood.The rehabilitation project also aimsat increasing social mix and creating asustainable community in the area.

Description: To this goal, measureso social mediation similar to thosementioned above were implemented,with a particular ocus on activities tooster the integration o resident witha migration background. Workshopsare proposed combining courseson various issues (such as languageclasses), training and capacitybuilding, and social skills. The goalis to ght negative prejudice againstimmigrants in the neighbourhood andin the whole local community and to

promote opportunities to meet andsocialise, such as the NeighbourhoodDay.

Results: The project started in 00and is still ongoing, but already about80 social dwellings and about 0private dwellings were created. Theproject has been characterised by highlevels o participation by the residentsin the decision making; creation osocial and generational mix (provision

o adapted dwellings or elderlypeople); and better response to theneeds o a increasingly diversi edpopulation in terms o ethnic origins.




page • 0



Estate agency service (Servizio diagenzia pubblica per la locazione)

Organisation: ACER , in partnershipwith municipalities in the province of Reggio Emilia

Start date: beginning o 008

Background: During the nineties the

system o regulated rents which was inplace in Italy was dismantled. At the endo the decade ‘canone concordato’oragreed rent was introduced: on thebasis o a law passed in 1998, a landlordcan decide to rent a fat at an agreedrent (the minimum and maximum levelis established or each fat on the basiso coe cients agreed by the union otenants and the union o landlords)he gets signi cant scal bene ts. Alsotenants in fats at agreed rents bene trom a scal bonus which variesaccording to the income level.

When this type o tenure was launched,it was hoped that the impact would belower rents in the market in general, butin act this was not the case.

Aim: To increase transparency andlegality in the rental market; to spreadthe use and practice o agreed rents inareas o housing shortage; to respondto rising demand rom people whocannot ul l their housing needseither in the public social housingsector nor the private housing market.

These include, amongst others,evicted amilies, the homeless, peoplein inadequate housing conditions,households with minors in custody,and re ugees, who are in need o neworms o protection and social wel areprovision.

Target: households in urgent need ohousing

Problem: many households

live in situations o poverty andmarginalisation due to di erent actors(criminality, drug addiction, emotionalconditions, health, economic

Italy



page • 1


problems, immigration, eviction,abandoned minors, and others).

In these kinds o situationsmunicipalities and social services havethe responsibility to intervene, andprovide temporary accommodation (inmany cases this leads a terwards to theallocation o a social dwelling throughplacing on regular waiting lists).

When this is the case, ACER – throughits estate agency service – acts as abroker or rental dwellings on behalo the municipality. ACER nds privatelandlords interested in signing anagreement, and negotiate the priceand type o contract (the pre erredoption being ‘canone concertato’).

ACER pays the rent to the landlord,and sub-lets the dwelling to peopleindicated on a case by case basis by themunicipality. There is an agreementbetween ACER and the municipalityso that the latter covers or any unpaidexpenses that may occur.

Results: the project started in 008and so ar 6 contracts have been signedbetween ACER and private landlords.At present the agency is dealing with181 requests rom potential tenants

throughout the province o ReggioEmilia.

Future developments

ACER, through its agency, would liketo expand the service to include othertarget groups:

1) Target: migrant workersThey are in need o a system oguarantees to bene t rom moderatedrents.

Problem: O ten they do not quali y

or social housing (ERP) allocationbecause their income is too high.O ten migrant workers wanting torent a home on the private market arerequested to pay very high deposit;quite requently migrant workers arehoused in overcrowded and very smalldwellings, without a legal contract, theyare easily evicted.

Proposal: ACER is planning to act asan intermediary between this socialgroups and private landlords and toact as guarantor or them so that theycan get an agreed rent contract. Forthis, guaranteed unding rom the localauthorities as well as private unds andoundations needs to be created.

2) Target: university students

Problem: young people comingto study in the cities rom outsidesometimes represent a ‘business’ orprivate landlords. University campus’and similar public accommodationsare not su cient to provide or theincreasing demand. Students are o tenasked to pay very high rent or a room.

Proposal: ACER wants to act asintermediary and get dwellings at lowrent or students lets.



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practice in tackling housing exclusion

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